Purdon heads north early to avoid border restrictions

Harness racing trainer Nathan Purdon has set up camp in New South Wales to avoid border restrictions foiling his attack on the Queensland carnival.

The Avalon-based trainer is currently staying at Luke and Belinda McCarthy’s Cobbitty Equine Farm with star mare Spellbound, who will be targeted at some of the features next month.

After being in Greater Melbourne for the Tabcorp Park Melton races on Saturday night, Purdon said he decided to travel interstate and do 14 days quarantine so he could then move freely into the Sunshine State.

He said Spellbound, who has won three of her four starts at Melton since joining the team from New Zealand, would likely have one run in NSW before making the trip north.

“At this stage she will probably race at Menangle on Saturday week,” he said.

Purdon has Spellbound pinned for a two-start Queensland campaign, which includes the $100,000 Group 1 The Golden Girl at Albion Park on July 17.

Star Kiwi mare Amazing Dream is also in Queensland and is set to run for Purdon in some of the key carnival races, likely culminating with a tilt at the $250,660 Group 1 The Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship on July 24.

“She’s there now and she’ll come into my name,” Purdon said.

“Ian Gurney is looking after her for me at the moment.”

Amazing Dream needs no introductions, having won close to $1million in a career that has collected 20 victories from 36 starts. Of those, seven wins have been at Group 1 level.

She was originally prepared by Purdon’s father Mark and Natalie Rasmussen, but has competed for takeover trainer Hayden Cullen in her last nine starts, the latest of which was on IRT Harness Jewels day at Cambridge.

After the Queensland campaign, Amazing Dream will join Spellbound and race here in Victoria.

By Tim O’Connor for HRV